CINCINNATI – When the Cincinnati Bengals informed running back Joe Mixon they were cutting him Monday night, they didn’t post a heartfelt tribute video to their social media channels the way some teams do.
They did something more meaningful.
Cincinnati Bengals Trade Joe Mixon Rather Than Cutting Him
Cincinnati agreed Tuesday morning to trade Mixon to the Houston Texans in a move that benefits both the Bengals and their leading rusher for each of the last seven seasons.
The NFL announced Thursday morning the Bengals will receive pick No. 224 (the fourth selection of the seventh round) from the Texans.
By cutting Mixon, he would have become a street free agent looking for market value in a landscape where running backs are finding it hard to sign contracts that match their perceived value.
The trade means that the Texans will pick up Mixon’s contract and pay him every dollar of what he agreed to last year when he accepted a pay cut to remain in Cincinnati. That includes $3 million in guaranteed money in the form of a roster bonus on March 17.
For the Bengals, they get something for nothing. They have to eat $2.8 million in dead cap regardless of whether they cut or trade Mixon, assuming the trade isn’t flagged as post-June 1.
Instead of letting him walk, they’ll get something in return.
Meanwhile, Houston benefits by landing a running back not too far removed from his prime the day after losing Devin Singletary in free agency to the New York Giants.
Joe Mixon will not be denied!
Mixon’s second effort ties it up. pic.twitter.com/rl4jSzCCZE
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 5, 2023
Mixon will be 28 and is coming off a 1,000-yard season for the Bengals. Had the Texans attempted to sign Mixon, they would have had to outbid other teams.
There certainly would have been a few in the market for a running back who never fumbles and has produced 6,412 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns to go along with 2,139 receiving yards and 13 scoring catches in his seven seasons.
KEEP READING: How Mike Gesicki Fits Into Bengals Offense
The Bengals are not scheduled to play the Texans until 2026, at which point Mixon could be done or with another team. There’s a chance Cincinnati and Houston could meet in 2025 if both teams finish in the same position in their respective divisions this year.
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